Chosen: Witnessing in the the face of Injustice

1 Peter 2:17 “17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”

1 Peter 2:18-25 “18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

This passage is a continuation of Peter’s discussion about living as people who are chosen and how we respond to authority.

The last time, we looked at how we as people respect our political authorities.

Today, Peter is speaking to a specific group of people: Slaves, or servants

Those who are being forced to work for someone against their will

There is a lot that could be said about this passage.

And I wade into this with some caution

Because slavery is a major “hot-button” issue in our society.

And rightly so, I believe.

The African slave trade left a huge mark on our formation as a country

Much of our development, especially agriculture in the South was built on the backs of people who were brought here and made to work against their will

Treated like property—like animals

Stripped of their rights and their dignity

And the racial tension that we feel today is a direct result of that.

But you know IN the days of slavery, there were many who opposed the practice

But there were many who not only approved of the practice, they defended it.

Many of these people were “Christian” people. At least, they were church-going folks.

And they used the Bible as the basis for their defense of slavery

In 1847, Richard Fuller, and American Baptist Minister published a booklet along with the president of Brown University, entitled,

“Domestic Slavery Considered as a Scriptural Institution”

In this book, Fuller used arguments like:

The OT seems to tolerate, if not permit, slavery. Leviticus 25:44 “44 As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are around you.”

He said, “Even the NT seems to tolerate and regulate slavery”. John 8:35 “35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.”

He said, if Jesus or Paul had wanted to outlaw the institution of slavery, they would have done so immediately.

Fuller insisted that neither the Savior, nor his apostle would have caved to pro-slavery culture if they considered it a sin

He said, “The morality of slavery is no defense for its abuses”. Fuller owned slaves himself and he prided himself on the way he cared for them. He counted himself among the “sincerest friends of the African race.”

Others opposed Fuller and men like him, arguing, in short, that to use the Bible in support of slavery was a clear misuse of Scripture and did not take into account Scripture as a whole

Slavery was a clear violation of the command to love your neighbor as yourself

And they made cultural arguments as well saying that

The situation in the OT was clearly a unique situation in which God had commanded the Israelites to wipe out the tribes that lived in Canaan. In this case, the people were either killed or enslaved by the Israelites

but this was an exceptional event. It wasn’t mean to always be this way

They said, “Slavery was regulated in the OT, yes, but not endorsed or condoned.

And they said, “The NT never tolerated slavery, even though it almost appears that way. What the NT writers do instead is to urge people who live in unjust circumstances (and can’t change those circumstances) to live holy lives, and endure”

AND I AGREE WITH THEM

In my opinion, the slave trade is a horrible stain on the history of this country and of many other countries

The trafficking of human beings is a horrible crime in whatever form it happens.

The African slaves were “emancipated” in 1863, but that did not stop the trafficking of humans.

It continues to this day. Right here in this country and all over the world.

Men and women and children being caught up in circumstances beyond their control, being bartered, bought and sold.

It is an aweful thing.

But as awful as human trafficking is, when we come to passages like this one in 1 Peter, we cannot lose the focus of what is being communicated here

It is so easy for us to read our culture into passages and to wonder why Peter doesn’t denounce slavery. Because in our culture, most of us agree that slavery is a bad thing.

There is certainly a biblical case to be made against human trafficking

But Peter has a different concern on his mind here

Even though he really is talking to slaves and servants—those who are forced to serve someone against their will

Slavery was a significant part of the Greek and Roman worlds

Peter’s concern is not, “How do we outlaw slavery”

But as People who are Chosen, how do we respond when we are mistreated by those who are directly over us?

What is the proper attitude to have?

And these are lessons that are applicable to more than just slaves and servants

Vs. 18

Well, Peter is pretty blunt and up front here.

Be obedient and respectful

Servants, be obedient to your masters with all respect

And this goes, not just for the good and gentle masters,

That’s the easy part—respecting a master or a boss who is good and gentle

It’s fantastic having a boss or a master who is fair and kind, who stops and talks to his employees, who is interested in their lives, gives adequate time off

Those kind of bosses are great to work for and easy to respect.

but also be subject to the unjust masters!

And this is where the rubber really hits the road.

But it’s in complete keeping with what Jesus taught

in Luke 6:32-35 “32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”

Peter echos this commandment by saying, “Don’t just respectful to the good masters, but also to your unjust masters”

This word “Unjust” is the Greek word skolios

This is the word that we get “skoliosis” from—crooked spine

It means “crooked”

He says, “Servants, do you have a master who is crooked? Is he unethical? Dishonest?

Does he agree to pay you one amount, and then because of some small technicality, he pays you something quite different?

Does he agree to give you time off, but then changes it at the last minute?

Does he give you quotas to meet and then abuses you when you don’t meet those quotas?”

And in this context, do you have an unbelieving master who is abusing you because of your faith in Christ?

I’m sure that’s tough.

But be subject, even to masters like them.

And respect them.

Recognize them as your authority. Keep a respectful tone of voice when you talk to them.

Don’t tear them down in front of the other servants.

Respect them!

And as much as possible, obey them!

Do all that you can to obey what they have told you to do, unless it violates what God has told you to do.

Vs. 19

Why should you respond this way?

Because it is the gracious thing to do.

It is a response that is full of grace

It displays divine grace and enabling

To obey and respect your unjust masters knowing that you will get nothing in return, at least not on this earth

is a response that takes special divine grace and enabling. This is the gracious response

And this goes for other relationships as well

Do I give a gift, hoping to receive something in return?

I’d like to at least hear a “thank you”.

But expecting a reward or something in return, is like holding someone to a debt that they might never ben able to repay.

That’s not living graciously, even though you might have given generously

But the gracious living is to be respectful and giving, and not expecting anything in return

It is a committment to living as Jesus taught

Peter uses this word “gracious” again in verse 20

“This is a gracious thing in the sight of God”

And what makes it gracious is that it is suffering that is undeserved.

Peter contrasts it with suffering that is deserved.

He says, “What credit is it to you if you sin and are punished for it?”

It’s no credit to you. Everyone is going to look at you and say, “You got what you deserved.”

I read the story of King Ahab to my class the other day

How he wanted Naboth’s vineyard so badly

And his wife, Jezebel, devised a “plan” for him to have this piece of ground

And how later Elijah came along and pronounced a horrible punishment upon him.

Nobody really feels bad for Ahab when you read what is going to happen to him. He doesn’t garner any sympathy

But he does sort of repent and God shows him mercy.

Other examples: Cain

Other wicked kings getting punished.

They simply get what they are due.

They are not suffering righteously

But on the other hand, if you find yourself suffering and have done nothing to deserve it, and you endure,

This, indeed is a gracious thing!

In fact, you have been called to this kind of suffering! (vs 21)

You have been called because Christ suffered for you and He left us His example

So that we might follow in His steps.

Many of you probably remember the book that was written

“In His steps”

In that book a group of people decided to start asking themselves “What would Jesus do?”

Because they wanted to follow in the steps of Jesus.

Later made into a film

A good concept,

And a great question

but that isn’t exactly what Peter is talking about when he says that we should follow the example

or follow in the steps of Jesus

He is talking of following Jesus into suffering.

This is what Jesus did:

He didn’t sin

He didn’t do anything that was worth suffering over or being punished for

There was no deceit in His mouth

He didn’t say anything false

He didn’t slander anyone

He didn’t defame anyone or diminish their reputation

He spoke only what was completely true

So He didn’t say anything that was worth being punished over

When He was reviled, He didn’t respond the same way

When He was called names, He didn’t say, “Oh yeah, wel...”

When He was defamed, He didn’t cut anyone down

When He suffered, He didn’t threaten

When He suffered physically, He didn’t devise ways of getting even

These are things he didn’t do

What did He do instead?

He exercised faith

He continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly

What amazing instructions these are, and what a challenge this is

In the face of injustice, when you have been, or are being wronged, to walk with eyes on your Father saying

I don’t know how this situation is going to be resolved, or if it is ever going to be resolved

But I know God’s got this under control

and I know that God is always good and He is always just, and He’s going to do the right thing.

That’s what Jesus did

He walked steadily with eyes of faith on His Heavenly Father

He knew what God had said, “Vengeance is mine. I will repay”

He didn’t have to spend emotional energy on lying awake at night rehashing over and over again all the injustices that had been done to him

His ministry was not interrupted by Him falling into depression and wondering why people treated HIm like they did

He didn’t forget His mission

He gave Himself, His life, for the sins of the people that mistreated Him

He bore our sins in His body

The sins of injustice and all that was unrighteous that we have done,

He carried that to the tree.

He didn’t just walk by faith, he actively moved to address our sin problem

Our problem was that we were like sheep straying from the shepherd—our hearts and lives were far from Him

It’s sheep who are far from the fold who are scared an jumpy

It’s people who are far from their shepherd who often act the most unpredictable and what we perceive to be irrational

And we shouldn’t be surprised at that

This past week, the Kalona Public Library board met and discussed a book that has been causing quite a rucus

One young man looked at me with hurt and frustration in his eyes and said, “We shouldn’t even be here. We shouldn’t even be needing to have this discussion.”

I just said, “You know, we are dealing with a fallen world. with people who are hurt and confused. We are going to see more and more stuff like this.

Let’s not be surprised at it. They are sheep straying from their shepherd

And we, the people that He came to redeem treated Him unjustly and beat Him and sent Him to the cross.

but He bore our sins that we might die to that sin and live to righeousness.

That’s repentence

That’s turing and going in the opposite direction

And Peter quotes from Isaiah 53, (In fact, this who section has echoes of Isa. 53.

How, Jesus was reviled but he didn’t open His mouth

But Peter includes this direct quote: “by His wounds you have been healed”

Now you are going to hear people quoting this verse and saying “This means that it isnt God’s will for us to ever be sick. See, it says it right here. By his wounds (stripes) you have been healed”

Let’s rebuke sickness right now and claim healing

Now, God can and does choose to heal at times. But not always. Not physical healing

But what He does promise to always do is to forgive sin

In the Jewish culture there was a very strong tie between sin and physical sickness

And often in the Scriptures, sin is pictured as physical disease. An example

Isaiah 1:5-6 “5 Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.”

God is not talking about a physical disease here. He is talking about sin. About a heart disease

And later in chapter 53 when He says, “By His wounds you are healed”, he’s not talking about a physical healing, although, again, thankfully, God still chooses to heal physical disease

Instead, He is saying that by His wounds, the real and fatal sickness is healed. That diseased heart is removed and replaced with a new heart, a heart of flesh

It is the forgiveness of sins

Peter quotes this phrase and says, that in the face of injustice and suffering, Jesus, entrusting HImself to The Father, did what He came to do

Bear our sins to the cross

Took our beating

So that we might experience true life and healing

This is the example of Jesus

Again, I don’t know what is coming down the pike for us as Chosen ones,

But even now when we find ourselves faced with injustice, we have the choice in front of us

We can fight

We can struggle, resist, claim our rights

OR

We can follow in the steps of Jesus

We can bear it graciously

We can entrust ourselves to our Heavenly Father

We can continue on the mission that He has given us

To point men and women to the source of healing

Jesus Christ: who bore our punishment for us that we might find life and healing.

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